August 2003
Do any Backroomers run / have experience of the A8 or S8 ? Reliability ? Alternative larger saloons to make a positive yet low-key statement to clients ?
MrW
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My car is up for change and after two problem free Volvos I fancy a change and was thinking of an Audi A4 cab.
The reviews wax lyrical, but the customer reviews and forums suggest a lot of problems (particularly with A4 coils and engine management systems). This surprised me as I thought Audi build quality was top notch.
Before I go test driving and risk heart overuling head - has anyone got any experience, good or bad, of the A4 petrols? Read more
Decision made.
I've gone for the 3 litre non quattro with black everything (the quattro takes too much off the performance) and I'm no racer so the grip of the two wheel drive is enough.
I've also ditched the "sports suspension" - the std is already firm enough and I wish to keep my fillings!
Thanks to those who replied. Can't wait to get my hands on it.
I am about to buy a 1983 VW Transporter (T3) campervan (1970cc air cooled) anybody got any suggestions for insurance companies?
I am 40, clean liscence, max no claims. Read more
Feast your eyes at
tinyurl.com/ld2d
Need I say more?
DVD
Posted already mid-thread in a general discussion , then realised it should possibly be here.
I suspect my speedometer, as is quite common, is over-reading (i.e. displaying higher than actual speed). If I'm correct, I understand its illegal for a speedo to under-read, so most manufacturers err on the high side for safety.
However, I think it's more than a little high, and I'd like to check how far out it is.
I remember a method of checking using motorway distance markers (can't remember enough details to do it, though) but would it be possible/easier on a rolling road?
If so, what type of organisation would do this? Read more
>> Modern speedo's generally use an electronic transducer in the gearbox and a 'cross-coil' meter movement driven by a microprocessor. These are generally very accurate and so it is the manfr. who decides how much the unit should over-read ..
That probably explains why when I'm doing X mph on cruise control according to the speedo, the speed function on the trip computer usually shows X minus 7-8% mph - which I've always thought to be a more accurate figure.
If you have a trip computer you could try this - find a nice flat section of M'way, hold your speed at, say 60mph, reset you trip computer and see what the speed says...
It may not be 100% accurate but should give you an indication whether the speedo is out by a big margin.
Chad.
Does anyone know when Honda specify a cam-belt change for a 2000-year 2.0i Accord? For some reason, it isn't stated on the service schedule (possibly because it's a "x years/y miles, or whichever comes first" scenario).
If the change happens to coincide with a major service then I will be keen to dispose of the car before the approx. £600 bill comes my way!
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Find a good independant garage Burnout. That's a ridiculous amount for a cam-belt change...
Need your help on this one, need something fast and exciting for £3000?
I quite fancy a Calibra Turbo 4x4, but worried about transmission problems. But I need some more ideas before I commit.
Thanks for any help given. Read more
I would say go for the Civic too. Or maybe an Accord 2.3 non type-R. A friend has one and is very impressed - Q-car though.
Paul C
There is often debate in the BR as to the extent of \'rip off Britain\'. I decided to do a bit of research and so have obtained parts prices in the UK and in the US, for a range of service parts for one of my cars. The car is a 1998 Nissan Maxima/QX (\'A32\' chassis).
The parts prices are listed below. The first price is from a UK Nissan main dealer; the second price (in US $) is from a Nissan main dealer in Denver, Co. I have then converted the US price into UK sterling using an exchange rate of £1=$1.57 and given a sterling equivalent price (in parenthesis). All of these prices are retail, no discount, and exclude sales taxes/VAT.
Note that apart from the pollen filter all of the parts are the same Nissan part number.
PART..................UK...........US
Oil filter..........£8.34.........£4.45 (£2.83)
Air Filter..........£14.22........£7.52 (£4.78)
Fuel filter.........£11.70.......$10.66 (£6.79)
Drain Washer........£1.29.........$1.46 (£0.93) - Bolt AND washer
Pollen filter......£28.00........$43.56 (£27.74)
6x NGK Pt. plugs...£82.49........$50.28 (£32.03)
Ex. starter.......£249.00 ......$247.88 (£157.88)
Front pads.........£48.70........$50.28 (£32.03)
I think that this makes pretty interesting reading. Many parts are a factor 2-4 more expensive in the UK. I really do not believe that this can be accounted for by different shipping/marketing costs etc. For certain parts (e.g. the started motor) there could be a good saving in buying from the US (assuming one doesn\'t get stung for too much import tax).
I am now trying to get a list of prices from a German dealer. I know the parts are cheaper over there (I bought a set of Pt. plugs from a Munich dealer for about Euro60) - but I want to see the full picture. Read more
There are a number of people on ebay advertising Mercedes service and parts CDs. I'm sure if you contacted them with your requirements they may be able to locate a "spare" w211 parts CD for a small fee. Most parts and service CDs end up going for between £7 and £15. Well worth it!
A5 closed last night c19:00 south from it's junction with the A426. Line of cones and utilities type closure sign rather than police accident. No evident prior indication approaching from Lutterworth (M1/J20). Anyone know if this is days/weeks closure for roadworks or just a one off incident?
Thanks in anticipation. Read more
Hence the regular appearance of the mobile speed camera van.
my mk2 driver had a full size steelie as a spare when I bought it so I bought a 2nd hand (unused) mk2 gti spacesaver from the scrappy to flatten out the lump in the boot. I want to check the tyre pressure on the spacesaver but have no idea what the pressure should be.
I assume that, as it is a very different wheel and tyre to the standard 185 65 14 tyres I have on, the pressure will not just be 30psi??
thanks Read more
60psi and 50 miles limit on use at max velocity of 50mph.
Thank you for all your suggestions and ideas about possibilities for this site.
Please take this as a general thank you whilst I wade through the replies individually.
Mark. Read more
It's very interesting to hear all that HJ. Part of the problem is that most people haven't got a clue what it takes to run this place and consequently make all sorts of assumptions about how easy, profitable or realistic certain things are. It would be nice if all the detail could be explained to 'us' but even if it were all summarised and presented for us to read, many people wouldn't bother and would still wind up raising the same issues again and again and you'd spend the rest of your life explaining. Like all businesses I suspect I've had this problem with my clients who tend to make all sorts of assumptions about what I do and how I work which are both simplistic and unrealistic. Trying to educate them is time consuming and to a large extent pointless because there's always another who'll ask exactly the same question or make the same mistake/assumption. There's no solution to all of this except for people here to be patient, considerate and constructive. As has been shown, there is a mechanism for presenting ideas to HJ et al and some of these may bear fruit directly or indirectly. Let's not however be unrealistic in our expectations of this place and those who run it as best they can given the time and resources available.
Vive La BackRoom !
Browse
Hawkeye,
The A8 in \"Ronin\" is spectacular however the quattro system was disconnected to achieve the final driving scenes - with 4wd in place the action was not dramatic enough. Undramatic, comfort, understated and traction in all weather conditions - that is why any A8 is so special.